Cincinnati Bearcats' Jacob Evans III headed to NBA Draft Combine

Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jacob Evans III (left) has been invited to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago May 16-20. Former UC forward Gary Clark (right) is on the alternate list for the Combine.(Photo: Sam Greene/The Enquirer)

Jacob Evans III still does not have an agent, but the University of Cincinnati basketball guard will be among 69 participants in the 2018 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago from May 16-20.

The list of invitees recently was obtained and published by Yahoo Sports.

Evans would be a senior in the 2018-19 season at UC, but most indications are that he will not return. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Evans is projected as either a late first-round pick or a second-round pick in multiple NBA mock drafts.

ESPN has Evans going at No. 24 overall to the Portland Trail Blazers. Sports Illustrated sees Evans going No. 32 overall to the Memphis Grizzlies (second pick of the second round). NBADraft.net projects Evans at No. 51 overall, to the New Orleans Pelicans.

"I didn't sign an agent yet, but I'm entering my name with plans on getting picked in the first round," Evans told ESPN in April. "I'm not just testing to come back to school."

"Jacob's going to play in the NBA," Cronin said last month. "The question is when and where, and is he ready to play."

Cronin, via text Monday, said he had no updates on Evans' pre-draft status.

Evans led UC in scoring for each of the past two seasons, including 13.0 points per game in the 2017-18 season. Evans also averaged 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game this season, helping lead UC to a 31-5 record and the school's eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

Underclassmen such as Evans have until 11:59 p.m. on May 30 to remove their name from NBA Draft consideration and retain their college eligibility. The NBA deadline to drop out of the draft is June 11. The draft itself is June 21.